


Heart of Stone

by saawarattene



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Platonic Cuddling, Sharing a Bed, basically i ship them but you don’t have to, essentially the Azuma Fic Tag Triad, i love them with my whole heart and soul, slight to moderate romantic leanings?, the play theyre doing in this one doesnt exist in canon, unbeta’d! have fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25043704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saawarattene/pseuds/saawarattene
Summary: “Why would that be a bad thing?”“What?”“What does ‘a heart of stone’ mean to you?” Azuma continued quietly. “How would you define that term?”“That would be… Someone who cannot respond adequately to the emotional needs of others. Someone with the qualities of stone. Cold and hard… and…” Guy’s voice was low and strained as he finished, “…incapable of love.”Azuma exhaled slowly as he began lining up his response in his head. Finally, keeping his tone light and open, he began.“All right, let’s think about that for a minute.”
Relationships: Guy & Yukishiro Azuma, Guy/Yukishiro Azuma
Comments: 5
Kudos: 47





	Heart of Stone

The sentence almost jumped out from the review.

> _I appreciate the risks Mankai Company has been taking on an artistic level, and all characters were well served by their actors, but as a playgoer I find it difficult to sympathize with a hero who seems to have a heart of stone._

“Don’t take it personally.” Tasuku said, as gently as he ever did. “It’s about the writing, not your acting.”

“Yeah, you’ve been doing amazing.” Izumi said earnestly, giving Guy an encouraging pat on the back as he stared silently at the article lying on the table in front of him. “He’s not _supposed_ to be very sympathetic, after all.”

Azuma watched him worriedly across the table, trying to interpret his expression. Guy had received plenty of criticism before, some of it downright scathing, but he had seldom looked so gutted about it. Azuma didn’t know for sure why this particular critique— which wasn’t even directed at Guy— seemed to be hitting him so hard, but he did have an idea.

Passing behind Guy’s still form, Homare laid a hand lightly on his shoulder and said, unusually softly for him, “My dear, it isn’t about you.”

That, Azuma thought, was probably _close_ to what Guy needed to hear. And he responded, looking over his shoulder at Homare’s sympathetic face, and saying a quiet “Thank you.” at the understanding in his eyes.

They had two shows that day, and neither went outstandingly well. They weren’t terrible either, but it was clear, at least to Azuma, that Guy wasn’t feeling well.

Late that night, he awoke to a room colored blue and grey with faint moonlight and far too silent. The slow, deep breathing of another sleeping person was absent.

“Guy?” he said, quietly.

Guy responded immediately, showing that he had indeed been fully awake. “What is it?”

“You’re awake.”

“You also seem to be awake.” Guy observed neutrally.

He laughed softly. “True, but I was asleep until a moment ago. What’s keeping you up?” He was pretty sure he knew, but he wanted to give Guy the opportunity to put it in his own words.

Guy didn't answer for a long moment. Finally, he said reluctantly, “…the review that said I have a heart of stone.”

Oh, that was what he’d been afraid of. Azuma sat up, taking a deep breath while he pondered how to answer.

It would be easy to simply refute that, to just repeat what the director and the others had said that morning, but something told him that wouldn’t be the right move. Perhaps the reviewer’s comment had simply hit too close to home, or perhaps he’d actually been told that before. Azuma thought it was likely to be the second, and in that case, he needed more than the assurance that it hadn’t been personal _this time._

“…May I come sit with you?” he asked quietly.

“Of course.”

He extracted himself from the blankets to clamber over the divider between their beds, settling into the warm space next to Guy’s side and propping himself up on one elbow. He brushed the loose bangs off of Guy’s forehead, and watched his tired eyes shift from the ceiling to his own face.

“Firstly, they didn’t say that.” He began, as gently as possible. “They said it _seemed_ as if _your character_ had a heart of stone. They didn’t mean you.” Guy looked away, but said nothing.

“But let’s imagine for a minute that they _did_ mean you. Why would that be a bad thing?”

“What?” Guy’s eyes darted back to him, confusion creasing his brow.

“What does ‘a heart of stone’ mean to you?” Azuma continued quietly. “How would you define that term?”

“That would be… Someone who cannot respond adequately to the emotional needs of others. Someone with the qualities of stone. Cold and hard… and…” Guy’s voice was low and strained as he finished, “…incapable of love.”

Azuma exhaled slowly as he began lining up his response in his head, tracing his fingertips down to Guy’s cheek before returning them to his forehead to smooth back his bangs again. Finally, keeping his tone light and open, he began.

“All right, let’s think about that for a minute.

“Stone isn’t necessarily cold. If you put a stone in the sun, it might get so hot it’s difficult to pick up. If you leave it there all day, it’ll stay warm long after sunset. Stone is only cold if it’s offered no warmth.”

He kept stroking Guy’s hair softly while he continued, “It’s true that stone is hard, but I don’t see how that’s a bad thing. Being hard to hurt seems like a good thing to me.” He breathed a wry laugh to himself. “Believe me, being soft-hearted isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

“As for the last part… We also say loving people have ‘a heart of gold,’ don’t we? Gold is just a metal. I don’t know who decided gold was capable of love and stone wasn’t, but it doesn’t seem logical.”

The crease in Guy’s brow had deepened while Azuma spoke, as if he were giving the matter the most serious, logical consideration which, to be fair, he probably was.

“I suppose you’re right.” He said uneasily, and hesitated for a long moment before asking, "What would your definition be?" Azuma smiled.

“Here’s what I would say.

“Stone is strong, resilient, and beautiful. It holds onto warmth for a long time, and it’s steadfast and supportive. It doesn’t crumble easily under pressure. It doesn’t melt, it doesn’t blow away, it doesn’t bend or shatter. No matter what you throw at a stone, chances are it will still be there afterward.”

He let his hand drift down to rest over Guy’s heart, looking earnestly into his eyes as he continued speaking softly.

“I think someone with a heart of stone is someone who can be trusted to stay when things get hard. Someone who responds to love with support and protection and loves quietly but deeply in return. Someone with a limitless capacity for compassion and forgiveness. Their love might not be flashy, but it’s real, and solid, and unbreakable.”

Guy opened his mouth to speak, and Azuma paused to let him, but nothing came out. He swallowed painfully, once again looking away, and Azuma took that as a sign to finish speaking.

“I still wouldn’t tell you you have a heart of stone, because those words mean something hurtful to you. But I will tell you that I think you’re wonderful. You’re a gentle, caring person. You’re loyal and thoughtful. I always know I can rely on you, and all of us treasure your friendship. I don’t care what your heart is made of, it’s good. It’s a good heart.” He pressed his hand into Guy’s chest for emphasis, and one of Guy’s came up to cover the back of it, warm and unsteady. He squeezed his eyes shut, and the moonlight glittered faintly off the corners of them, squeezing Azuma’s heart in his chest too.

“Oh, dear,” he whispered, lowering his head to kiss a streak of moonlight from the side of Guy’s cheek. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make this hard for you.”

Guy’s arms encircled him, resting atop his back but hesitating to actually pull him close. He responded by pulling himself close instead, tucking his head under Guy’s chin, ear pressed just over his heart.

“I’m sorry.” Guy said, his voice vibrating low in his chest.

“What on Earth for?”

“For making you deal with this… with me.”

“I was the one who asked, wasn't I?” Azuma chided gently. “I asked because I wanted to hear. You didn't make me do anything.”

“…Thank you.”

After that, nothing else seemed to be necessary to say.

**Author's Note:**

> hi i don’t actually have a lot to say about this one. hmu @ saawarattene on tweeter


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